-----BEGIN PGP SIGNED MESSAGE----- Hash: SHA256 shiv sastry said the following on 30/06/2007 09:39: > Can I ask a stupid question as a prelude to a convoluted answer? > > How does an iPod differ from any one of a number of similar music/other media > reproducing devices in the market?
Having used a PowerBook for a few months now, I suspect it's because the rough edges of the Wintel world are smoothed over. If you're a power user, it can seem a bit limited, but you'll still admire how everything works just as it's supposed to. For example, I used a library cataloguing software, called Delicious, which can use a Firewire video camera as a barcode reader. I plugged in the video camera, started Delicious, and started adding books - finished 120 books in a couple of hours. Try doing this on a PC, and you'll spend two hours installing firewire drivers, configuring TWAIN settings, and possibly never get around to adding books. - From what I've seen of my friends' ipods, this design philosophy carries over here as well. A simple, consistent user interface and a design which makes peripherals work seamlessly is what most users want, and what most manufacturers are unable to provide. I suspect the iphone will irritate "power" users after a while, when the face its limitations. Most normal users will be absolutely delighted. Whether it'll succeed or not is a different issue - the iphone needs to not only better the competition, which it can possibly do, but win over the carriers, which is much more difficult. Ram -----BEGIN PGP SIGNATURE----- Version: GnuPG v1.4.6 (MingW32) iD8DBQFGhfvQRQoToz9njMgRCIN0AKClr4I9bvKHbuyASREvKN+GYbFYUQCg4/bI MhnAQDpDVlrHpji4wJQa1jU= =KSee -----END PGP SIGNATURE-----
